Saturday, 7 June 2014

Top 5: Unexpected Actors to Spot in Woody Allen films

Over the last couple of years I've watched and read about quite a lot of Woody Allen's work, and have kept being surprised and amused to spot famous actors I'd never have expected to see in his films - actors who would've have been starting out in their careers back then, but are famous for other things now. [1] Helena Bonham Carter - Mighty Aphrodite (1995)

Perhaps most famous now for her regular appearances in Tim Burton's films, as well as her work in period films, in this Manhattan tale with a Greek chorus twist, Bonham-Carter plays Allen's on-screen wife Amanda - and gives a wonderfully subtle and believable performance.

Well-known now for his silly comedies and great dramatic performances in films like Chicago, you can spot a very young John C Reilly - this is his fifth credit as an actor on IMDb - in this black and white thriller as a cop in a police station. You have to watch careful though, as its easy to miss it![3] Liam Neeson - Husbands and Wives (1992)

Liam Neeson seems to have recently gained a reputation as an action star and general badass thanks to the film Taken - which is why its so amusing to see actor play a romantic lover in this documentary-style comedy about marriage. And no, don't expect that phone scene in this movie...[4] Mayim Bialik - Don't Drink the Water (1994)

Mayim Bialik is of course most famous for playing Amy, the geeky girlfriend of Sheldon in The Big Bang Theory. But as a young actress she also in this television movie based on Allen's play, alongside geek icon Michael J Fox aka Marty McFly! [5] Anthony Head, Alexander Armstrong and Charles Dance - Scoop (2006)

This fun crime caper comedy set in England is a lighthearted Allen gem, that I'm sad more people haven't seen - partly because a load of British actors manage to turn up in a variety of small and major roles throughout. However, my favourite cameos came from these three actors. In one scene, and only one scene we have Anthony Head, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and comedian Alexander Armstrong, from Pointless, playing a bobby and a detective. Then there's also Charles Dance, who is currently playing Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones of course, who turns up as practical newspaper editor.